desire is not enough

I am a total night owl.

When I was just a little gal, my mom used to call  me little miss party girl, because I loved to go to bed late and wake up well after the sun had risen. I totally get that from my Dad. I grew up with him watching TV quietly in the living room until after midnight and leaving for work around 8:30 a.m.

As we well know, the world loves the early bird. Which is so dumb. I don't even like worms, you know?

Anyway, this post is not about how I love to stay up late.

It's about desire.

I want a lot of things. I've always wanted a lot of things. Did you read or watch The Berenstain Bears growing up? I hope so, because they taught me A LOT about life.

 I will never forget Mumsy reading "The Berenstain Bears and Too Much Fun," to me time and time again when the child version of my now extrovert self was over-stimulated to the point of a good solid meltdown.

Even the most social of us all need a little quiet time, you know what I'm saying?

Anyway, in one book, Sister Bear finds herself having to choose between being girly and liking dolls and playing on the baseball team with Brother Bear. She sings herself a little song, and it's called, "I want it all."

I want it all. Yes every bit.

Every single bit. Of it.

Hmmmm. Could the Berenstain Bears have singlehandedly created a generation of Millenials who simply think because they want it, they can have it? And not just have it, but have it ALL?

Probably not. But it does bring me again back to the point of this post. Desire, and getting what we want.

I think it's hard as a twenty-something to come to the conclusion that sometimes, even if you work hard, make the best choices you can and be the best version of yourself, you still come up a little short. You can do absolutely everything "right" (which I put in quotes due to its subjective nature, in this case) and still miss out on something--or so it would seem.

How does that happen? Why does that happen? Shouldn't it be enough to just want something, ask for it nicely, and get it?

That's like, how it works, right?

I was recently reading one of my favorite conference talks by President Uchtdorf (swoon) entitled, "Your Happily Ever After." Any general authority who kicks off a conference talk with a story about Disney princesses is okay in my book, am I right? Anyway.

The talk is basically about the fact that yes, things worked out for Cinderella, Snow White and Belle, but not until the end. Homegirls had to deal with lost slippers, moody dwarves and literal beasts before their stories were finished. Until they got their happily ever after. He say this:

"Isn't that what we all desire; to be the heros and heroines of our own stories; to triumph over adversity; to experience life in all its beauty; and in the end, to live happily ever after?...But such a blessing does not come without a price. It is not given simply because you desire it. It comes only through understanding who you are and what you must become in order to be worthy of such a gift."

And may I add to that, "what you must become in order to be worthy and ready for such a gift."

So you see, it's not just about desire. It's about wants and needs colliding with personal worthiness, readiness and the greater plan for you and your eternal family.

We also cannot get what we want right away, because we might not appreciate it. Dieter also says this about my beloved princesses:

"Sandwiched between "once upon a time" and "happily ever after," they all had to experience great adversity. Why must we all experience sadness and tragedy? Why could we not simply live in bliss and peace, each day filled with with wonder, joy and love?"

He goes on to answer:

"In stories, as is life, adversity teaches us things we cannot learn otherwise. {favorite part, PAY ATTENTION!} Adversity helps us develop a depth of character that comes in no other way. Our loving Heavenly Father has set us in a world filled with challenges and trials so that we, through opposition, can learn wisdom, become stronger, and experience joy."

So it's true, you can't always get what you want.

But you will always eventually, get what you need.

xoxo